Derry Brownies ask schools to boost recycling

DERRY - A local Brownie troop wants to make sure the school district is environmentally responsible.

At a recent school board meeting, Superintendent Laura Nelson read a letter from Derry Brownie Troop 13966 offering to help with recycling efforts in the schools.

"We noticed that our custodian put all the trash in one barrel," the letter stated. "One of the custodians said the trash company puts all the trash in the same truck when they pick it up. We wonder if it is possible to keep the trash and the recyclables separate."

The members of the Brownie troop also offered to help by teaching classes in the school how to recycle.

"I want to thank the Brownie troop for their wonderful and well-written letter and their concern for our environment and what we are doing," said Nelson.

She said the school district is always looking at ways it can improve its recycling efforts and is also taking steps to reduce food waste in its cafeterias.

"There are companies that will help with food so that the poundage we take out per cafeteria can be reduced significantly," said Nelson. "We look at ways we can improve our carbon footprint and do a better job of being a good environmental steward."

School business director Jane Simard said there are recycling programs in place at all the district's schools.

"We do have separate recycling bins and separate pickups," said Simard. "We will have a conversation with our custodians. We are working really hard on recycling."

She said the district's waste collection companies do have separate pickup days for trash and recycling and that there are separate containers at the schools for different types of recyclables.

"We do have a strong effort to do recycling in the schools, but I'll look into this to see if there are issues with things not being recycled they way they should be," said Simard. "What is truly trash should be in the trash, but what is considered paper products should be recycled as paper."

Nelson said she will write back to the Brownie troop to thank them and let them know that the district is looking at ways it can do a better job recycling.